Impractical Passions
by Kurisuta358
Summary: Love had consumed her life from the very moment she saw him. She tried to confess, but he would always end up never noticing. Juvia was used to this by now, but how was she supposed to react when he was the one loving her instead? Oneshot.


_**Author's note:**__ Okay, so this is my very first fan fiction of Fairy Tail! *claps to herself* I got into this series just a couple of weeks ago, and other than Lucy's character, the series is very good. Gray is also, naturally, my favorite character. Come on, I'm a girl! I can't help it. I mean, have you seen that guy lately? haha_

_Alright, alright. Anyways, I absolutely adore Juvia and her obsession with Gray—we have a lot in common—so I decided to write this fan fiction in dedication to her creepy yet cute love! ^_^ _

_I would like to point out, though, that __Gray will be rather out of character for the majority of the fiction. I did this purposely__, and you will understand why I made him this way after reading. (I'll put it as endnotes, though, just in case.) Also, some of you may really hate me after this. Why? Well, you'll figure it out. I know I kind of hated myself for doing this, and I'll explain it later at the end of this story. Other than that, please enjoy my story! _

Figments of Passion

The worst part about falling for a guy like Gray Fullbuster was knowing he was too oblivious to ever notice a girl liking him. Juvia knew this, yet she couldn't stop staring at him. She knew this, and yet she could never stop the dreams. There was no way someone like him could ever return the feelings of a gloomy girl like her.

Or could he?

Juvia slowly opened her eyes, gazing up at the ceiling in confusion. She awoke on soft sheets, her fingers grazing over the comfortable fabric that was unknown to her. She tilted her head as she sunk into the downy pillow, the faint scent of a man's body filling her lungs.

"Th-This isn't Juvia's bed!" she concluded worriedly, her voice shaking from this sudden realization. She sat up from the bed and scanned the room. It was plain and simple, the walls covered with a dark navy paint surrounding nothing but the bed, a small desk, and two doors. "…How did Juvia end up here?"

She clutched her fists in contemplation as she thought of the possible outcomes. Could she have been kidnapped by the enemy? What if someone had been following her the way she did with Gray? She thought of it to be pretty ironic for someone to stalk her when _she_ did most of the stalking, but now she was trapped. How could she have let this happen?

She shook her head in frustration, eliminating that possibility. Juvia was a woman of stealthy and strategic methods; she wouldn't have just let someone come and take her without even noticing. Besides, she would have known ahead of time that someone had been following her around.

_So then what could have happened?_

Every muscle in her body tensed up with a sound of a creaking knob coming not too far away from her. Juvia threw herself out of the bed and stood at attention, facing one of the doors intently with her fists balled up with anticipation. She could hear the pleasant sound of dripping water as she braced herself for a potential attack, figuring that someone was coming out of the shower. Her eyes narrowed, waiting for the culprit who had the nerve to kidnap her. She couldn't help but wonder, though: why would her kidnapper take a shower while she was left conscious and aware of her surroundings?

And that's when she saw it.

That's when she saw _him_.

"Wh...What?" she stuttered quietly, her eyes wide with surprise. Juvia nearly collapsed on the ground as she caught sight of those dark, inexplicable eyes, the world around her spinning with confusion. There he was, standing casually in the doorway wearing nothing but a small towel, the remaining water slowly gliding down his skin. The person standing nearly naked before her was none other than Gray Fullbuster.

A smug grin played on his lips as he watched her practically faint. "The water feels nice," he said placidly, gripping the ends of the other towel that rested on his shoulders. "Want to go next?"

"N-Next?" She tried to hide her embarrassed face behind the mattress. She wasn't sure at all as to why he would offer her to go in the shower. Hell, she wasn't even sure why she was in Gray's room in the first place! She admitted that she always wanted to know what it looked like, but she didn't want to find out this way. "G-Gray-sama, what's going on?"

She peeked up over the top of the bed, her emotions overpowering her mind that was screaming at her to not look at him. How could she possibly stop herself, though? Gray's body was perfect, his faultless, tight skin quickening her heartbeat.

"Gray-sama…your clothes," she reminded him, her eyes flickering back and forth to the wall and Gray's nearly well-built stature.

He looked down impassively, shaking his head and smiling again. "Oh, would you feel more comfortable if your clothes were off, too?" he asked, relishing over her terrified reaction.

"Th-That's okay! Why…why is Juvia here?" she stammered, recovering from her frenzied response. She had never heard something so perverted come from Gray before, unless it was directed towards Lucy. It was almost some kind of twisted sexual harassment that felt awkward coming from him, but her heart was telling her to enjoy it.

He walked over to the bed, sitting on the silky sheets. "Trying to play dumb, I see." His hand extended out to grab her, but Juvia swiftly maneuvered backwards. "_You're_ the one who snuck into my room and fell asleep on my bed, after all. I should be asking the questions."

She flushed uncontrollably. Juvia admitted that she could go overboard with her crush on the poor ice mage. She would follow him around secretly, gawk at his muscular figure, and even tried to hurt any girl who seemed a threat to her and Gray's relationship, regardless of how unromantic that relationship was. But sneaking into his room and blatantly falling asleep? She could never be so stupid enough to hide out in the open where he could find her.

"Juvia doesn't remember doing something like that!" she yelled frantically. She stood on her feet now, averting the obvious stare he was giving her. "J-Juvia is sorry…Gray-sama."

Her eyes stung from the hot tears she tried so hard to suppress from humiliation, her body moving towards the door. Her legs prepared themselves to run out of the room when she felt a sturdy grasp around her arm, forcing her to turn around.

He stood behind her, throwing the towel off his neck. "For some reason, though, I didn't mind seeing you," he assured her, his deep, ravishing voice making her freeze up. "I was surprised at first, but I've gotten used to you following me around for a while now."

"How did you…Y-You really noticed?" she asked in distraught. She suddenly started to think that her methods of sneaking around Gray weren't so, well, _sneaky_.

Her eyes widened at the touch of his slim, cold fingers brushing against her cheek, his usually dark, unreadable eyes showing a hunt of desire. "I'm not as oblivious as you'd like to think, you know," he whispered softly. Chills spread out across her skin as she tried desperately not to look down at his toned abdomen, but he soon grasped her chin with his thumb to move her head up towards him. "I've known for a while. I can tell just by the way you look at me."

She swatted his hand away from her face, running towards the corner of the room and hiding her bright red, starry-eyed expression. _Why is he touching Juvia like this?_ _Gray-sama doesn't act this way unless Juvia fantasizes about him doing it!_

She peered from around the corner to see the wizard's tall figure towering over her. She inhaled sharply, staring in bewilderment with glossy eyes at the powerful structure that stood so close to her.

"G-Gray-sama!"

"Now then…" He squatted down and clutched her wrist, pulling her up off the floor. "Why don't we start where we left off? I believe you were waiting for me on the bed."

He tugged at her wrist and began to literally drag her to the mattress. She did her best to squirm her way out of this, but the touch of his firm hand against her skin made her faint with craving. There was no use in trying to deny a guy like him.

He pushed her gently against the soft bedspread, letting his body hover over hers. The smooth complexion of his skin was now only a few feet away from her, the scent of his body wash dominating the rest of her senses. She tilted her head downwards to see that small towel still latching on to his body, and she was begging for it not to slip.

"Juvia doesn't think this is such a good idea!" She managed to say through choppy breaths. "M-Maybe we're going too fast." She felt so pathetic. She couldn't stand the fact that she was letting a man take over so easily, but this was _Gray. _Gray Fullbuster. What she considered the most stunning and handsome wizard in all of Fairy Tail was trying to seduce _her_. Not Lucy. Not Erza. Just Juvia.

"Relax," he mumbled, drawing his face closer to her ear. "Isn't this what you've always wanted?"

She couldn't deny him on that one. Ever since the very first moment she set her sights on Gray, she's been head over heels. From him impeccable fighting style to his astounding physical features, she had been dreaming for the day when she could make him hers.

_But then again, how would he know that this is what Juvia wants? And why does all of this feel so wrong?_

A rush of wind swept past her. She thought she was going to kiss her, but the swift movement only led to her neck. His lips were barely touching her skin, his breath warming her cold, itchy throat.

"I can tell you're nervous. Your heartbeat is telling me everything." He lowered his head, still keeping eye contact. "It keeps going faster the more I get closer," he noticed, pressing his ear against her chest. The water mage's body trembled from his words, almost as if beckoning her to just let go and have the wizard take over, but that was another thing that bothered her. How could Gray sweet talk her this much when he was usually careless to her existence? After always following him around, Juvia could conclude that he was a serious, stiff boy with a complete lack of any romantic interest. So how was he able to become so crafty with his words all of a sudden?

"Maybe we should stop here. Juvia just wants to talk to Gray-sama and get to know him a bit better," she said one last time. It was a feeble attempt to reason with him, but the Gray that stood before her, or on top of her, was in no mood to think reasonably like he usually did.

"But if we stop now, you won't have…this." A warm kiss at her neck followed, his hot tongue delicately touching the tip of her flesh.

The once quiet, shy girl arched her back and screamed in shock, a type of surprise that ironically pleased her. The touch was as spontaneous as it was electrifying, a sensation that sent her out of control and against her ethics. He held her back against her struggle, taking complete control and trailing his lips everywhere down her throat. She was whispering something that even she couldn't fully understand, but he ignored the pleas and moved up to her face.

He regarded her with affection, a look that Juvia always wanted from Gray. The feeling of his eyes watching her made her want to make a move of her own, so she reached out to his arms. Her small hands embraced one of his arms, tracing the outline of his flawless muscles. All of this was just too surreal, almost as if it was too good to be true, but his quick, sly smirk distracted her from thinking too much into it.

"Isn't this nice?" he asked, lacing his fingers between hers. He took his hand that held onto hers and placed it below his chest, having her palm trace the fit texture of his body. "There's no need to be embarrassed."

"Gray-sama…" That was it—all she could mutter was his name. Her eyes felt heavy with her growing relaxation from his touch and the intense rush, though she had to admit that it was still awkward.

"Stop calling me that," he mentioned abruptly.

"What do you mean?"

"You know that the two of us are anything but formal with each other." He flashed another quick smile to make her blush. "Just call me Gray. Come on, let me hear how it sounds."

She whispered his name with slight hesitation, feeling uneasy about not using the respectable "sama" afterwards. His face lit up at her contemplation, almost as if he was aroused just by the sound of his name. He wasted no more time and took her in completely, cuffing his mouth over hers. His lips kept a swift movement with her own, and every nerve in Juvia's body ignited on fire. With her longed for desire finally coming true, she needed nothing more than this. She couldn't believe this was happening. The taste of him was exactly how she thought it would be. She felt like she could stay here forever, just like this. All she needed was him, and she could live the rest of her days shunning the outside world. She loved Fairy Tail and everyone in it, but _this_ was what she loved the most.

After long moments of euphoria, a sour taste came to her mouth as they drew apart. She stared him with excited eyes, for those very lips were just touching hers.

"Juvia," he mumbled. The sound of him calling to her seemed rather harsh than the way he spoke to her just recently, but she ignored it. She had just kissed him, after all. No tone of voice could ever change the bliss she felt right then and there.

"Gray, Juvia wants to tell you something."

He rested his face against her chest. His lips didn't move, but she could hear him in her mind still speaking to her. "Go on. What's on your mind?" he asked. Though she heard these words, a faint echo of her name reverberated in the background. Regardless, she continued.

"Juvia…well, Juvia really feels close to Gray. She wants to be near him. Always." She couldn't believe she was able to speak so openly to him about her emotions without running away, but everything was different now. He finally accepted her admiration, so why not just tell him everything?

Another sharp hiss of her name echoed, but Gray's face never changed. He lifted his head, his eyes staring into hers. "I know," he said simply, smiling at her reassuringly.

"That's why Juvia wants to tell you this. J-Juvia…loves—"

And that's when all hell broke loose.

"Juvia, snap out of it!" a stern voice snapped. As the voice became clearer, her eyes widened with horror at the sight of darkness engulfing her surroundings. She felt her heart stop even more as she watched Gray's face fade into black along with the rest of him. Her body felt lighter with him gone now, almost as if it was being lifted. As her light was dying, her only motive was to bring him back. Juvia involuntarily yelled out his name, pleading for him to embrace her at least once more. If not that, then the least she wanted was rid herself of this darkness and follow him into another reality.

But her screams were only followed by a harsh sting across her face. The pain forced her eyes opened, though she thought they were opened this whole time. She gasped quickly, catching her breath to make the world stop shaking.

"I apologize for doing that, but there was no other way to wake you up."

A spark of anguish raced through her body at the sound of the voice. When her vision finally returned to normal, her eyes focused on the row of beverages that were lined up neatly across from her table. With the heavy smell of alcohol as her last hint, she realized she was in the Fairy Tail guild. She looked to see Mirajane cleaning each glass carefully as she carried out her position as head waitress before Juvia turned in the direction of the voice. She looked to the side to see Erza staring at her inquisitively, appearing in her usual outfit of silver armor.

"Is everything okay?" she asked hesitantly, noticing Juvia's rather displeased aura around her.

"What…What was Juvia doing when you saw her?" she asked, looking back down at the wooden counter. She noticed she had a tall glass right next to her, the ice completely melted. How long was she sitting here?

"You seemed to be sleeping," Mirajane pitched in cheerfully, smiling in their direction. "You were moving you hands around a lot and kept mumbling."

Erza nodded firmly in affirmation. "And I was just passing by when I heard you calling out his name again."

"His…name?"

Juvia looked at their expressions. They both shook their heads in agreement and laughed a bit. There was no need to come out and say it. Both Mirajane and Erza seemed to notice Juvia's unhealthy crush on Gray. She didn't know how many people really knew, but it seemed like everyone else but Gray himself was aware of her feelings.

"Juvia is so sorry. She didn't mean to fall asleep like that!" she wailed defensively.

Erza patted her across the shoulder in a friendly demeanor, though with her strength it seemed more like a harsh smack. "Don't fret over it," she assured. "We're used to it by now."

An agonizing, nostalgic sensation ran through her. She remembered hearing those words, though they came from Gray instead of Erza. They were faint in her head already, almost as if he had said them so long ago. Could his memory already be so far away for her to feel this desperate longing?

"I guess it must have been a pleasant dream. You still seem like you're in a trance," Mirajane noticed, leaning against the counter casually.

"U-Um, yes!" Juvia bowed her head unknowingly, trying to ease the tension she reluctantly created. "It was great!" Through her empty smile, she felt that she overdid the happiness. Erza and Mirajane looked at her in confusion, taken aback by her overabundant excitement. They didn't think much of it, though, since almost everyone in their guild had their awkward moments.

Only seconds after her recovery, all three women jumped at the loud crash coming from behind outside the building. The other members sitting at the other tables noticed the noise as well, though they just disregarded it. They seemed as though they were accustomed to whatever was going on outside by now.

"Not again," Erza fumed, sighing heavily before hurrying outside. Juvia gave one last nod towards Mirajane before rushing out as well. It was an involuntary impulse of hers, an uncontrollable emotion that she couldn't restrain. She knew by Erza's irked reaction that she knew what was going on outside. More importantly, though, she knew _who_ was outside.

But aside from her enthusiasm, Juvia stopped frozen at the doorway as she caught glimpse of him. She couldn't help but marvel at the sight of Gray and compared him to the one in her dream. Unlike her fantasy, the real Gray was seen shoving his fist up against Natsu's head with fierce brutality, pounding his body into the ground. As a cloud smoke filled with litter, sand, and rage circled the air around them, Natsu soon returned the same intense blow. The two carried on this heated fight while Lucy stood helplessly in the far off distance, appearing dazed and powerless of how to deal with the situation like always. The fighting had continued until the brutal force of Erza's fury stopped the two muscle-heads in their tracks, the warriors standing happily arm and arm with each other as though no fighting took place. Even though they tried to cover it up, Erza still continued to scold the two reckless wizards.

Juvia couldn't help but smile, though her realization only brought the painstaking truth of reality. _Yes, this is what the real Gray-sama wants._ She realized that at his point in life, the only thing Gray Fullbuster really cared about was when he was going to pick his next fight. He cared about each member of the Fairy Tail guild, including Juvia, but he viewed his status with all of them as nothing more than a normal, platonic relationship. She could do no more than just accept his friendliness, but every time she looked at him she wanted more.

That's why she had the dream in the first place. She knew she dreamed of Gray a lot, but this was different. This dream was a reflection of what she really wanted. She wanted him to love her the way she loved him, but she could only have that happen in a figment of imagination. Her dream casted the opposite of the actually reality, meaning that everything that happened there could never happen in real life.

She continued staring at Gray's sturdy figure from afar, slightly touching her lips. She could still feel it—the kiss from Gray in her dreams was still burning on her lips, though she knew it would eventually wither. What took place with Gray only a few moments ago would be nothing but a memory in a day or so. She would go back to following the _real_ ice mage around, constantly trying to win his affection only to end with him appearing oblivious.

When it appeared that Erza was finished with her lecture, Gray gave one last cold stare at the hot-headed dragon slayer before turning towards the guild. Juvia panicked as he sauntered indifferently in her direction, seeming to not even notice her. Before he had the chance to walk by, Juvia threw herself away from the entrance and into the nearest corner. Her expression showed complete awe and longing as Gray's lean, shirtless figure walked by as if it was the first time seeing him.

He stopped abruptly and his head turned to her direction, his eyes capturing her in a blank stare. She sat down in the corner as if to make herself smaller, her whole body shaking. It was the first time that he had actually noticed her spying on him, but the moment of a shared gaze ended. He gave a slight nod to her as though to say "hello", but she was too paralyzed to say anything. He soon continued walking away without any interest, ignoring the screaming of his name coming from Natsu behind him.

_Gray-sama actually noticed Juvia._ The statement itself sounded insignificant, but it meant everything.

She laughed to herself and squealed, blushing with sparkling eyes. _Gray-sama makes Juvia so happy! _She stood up now, locking her vision onto him again and trailing behind the ice mage. She was suddenly back to her old ways, stealthily following Gray as he walked a fair distance ahead of her. She was back to merely admiring him from afar, but she figured that she had to start somewhere. Besides, how else would she find out about all Gray's habits, strengths, and weaknesses? By actually talking to him? She giggled a bit, embarrassed by her unwillingness to confront him.

_Oh, Gray loves Gray-sama! That's why she won't give up._

She was almost relieved of having that dream now. She thought of it as an awakening, a realization of her fixated desires. The touch of Gray's warm lips against hers would always be her drive. She would keep her determination to be with the young wizard until the day when that dream would become her reality. _Their_ reality.

Besides, she was too far deep in love to ever look away.

_**Author's note**__: There we go! I was surprised at how fast I wrote this story, but I love this couple so much! _

_Did you pick up on the thing I mentioned that I hated about writing this? That's right…Dream sequences! I personally hate writing them because they ruin a story as well as the reader's hopes and interest. I wrote this dream sequence, though, because I knew it was way too early in their relationship for Gray to act so seductive around Juvia. Putting it in a dream made me write Gray in a way that I wish he could really act around Juvia, and I'm sure she would agree with me on this. Hehe ^_^_

_I made this as a __**oneshot**__, but I'm not sure if I should continue this…So, tell me what you think! If you want me to keep writing this and make it into a story instead of a __**oneshot**__, tell me in the review. If not, then I'd still appreciate your reviews, anyways. Thanks for reading!_


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